For the purists, golf is a sport that is played by walking the course, not riding from shot to shot in a cart. It's how golf is played on most professional tours, and it's the preferred way in Scotland, where the game originated. If you want to ditch the cart and carry your clubs, you may need to change out your golf bag for something lighter.
Weight
A walking bag should be lighter, between 3.5 and 6 pounds. The lightest, called Sunday bags, look more like sleeves than bags, weighing about 2 pounds and providing much less storage. If you play in the rain often, look for a bag that sheds water. A soggy bag and contents can get heavy, and you have to empty it after the round to dry your gear and the bag.
Storage
While sacrificing weight, golf bags should have a minimum of five pockets for storage. Look for a bag with a ball pocket, a second pocket for tees and ball markers, a lined valuables pocket for your watch and phone, a fourth pocket to hold rain gear and golf gloves, and a pocket to keep a water bottle cold and in easy reach as you walk.
Straps and Balance
The bag's structure should distribute the weight well when fully loaded. Always look for double carry straps that adjust so the bag will ride balanced against the small of your back. The strap system should balance adequate padding and ease of use--double straps are worthless if the second strap is too hard to get on and off your shoulder.
Club Management
The bag's top needs to be large enough so it's easy to pull or replace each of the 14 clubs. The dividers should provide at least six compartments--one each for the driver and fairway metals, a place for the long irons, another for the middle irons and the last for the wedges and putter. Some bags come with a separate putter well, a handy addition because it's the most-used club in the bag.
Stand Mechanism
When you're shopping for a bag, load it up in the store with clubs and balls and test the stand mechanism. Notice where the towel holder is placed to see if the towel will tangle easy with the legs of the stand. The boot of the stand that springs the legs out will take a beating, so look for one that is sturdy and won't break apart easily. An option is a strap that will lock the legs in place, in case you're playing a course that forbids walkers.
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